The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-08-17

stones cut in long blocks. The stretchers are
laid lengthwise and the headers with ends
to the outer wall, running through to the
inside. The outside wall is thus laid for
two hundred sixty feet, after which are both
headers and stretchers. The inside walls
will be left in the natural state The out
side walls have rough finish, the stone
being left with rock or split face. AT the
right-angle corners of the shaft, where the
corner sides meet, and also at all windows
and other openings, the stone is finished in
quarterback draft line or arris. For the
outside the coarse ashlars and stretchers are
laid in random length The Concave joints
between the ashlars will he filled with Port
land cement and coarse sand. These joints
and the color of the limestone rock give the
column harmonious finish. AT the hight
of two hundred feet there is an entablature
eight feet high. and fourteen feet above is
another entablature twelve feet high. These
entablatures encircle the shaft on the four
sides. They do not project from the sur
face, but the blocks of stone constituting
them have hammered faces, so as to offer
slight contrast to the rough face of the rest
of the structure. A few feet above the
lower line of the lower entablature on each
of the four sides of the shaft there is an
opening eleven feet by fourteen. In each
of these openings stands double row of
plain columns. four of the COLUMNS being
flush with the outer surface of the SHAFT
and the others behind them in the interior.
These columns are sixteen inches apart and
across the front row on the inside are run
three-inch brass rods The back row of
columns is flush with the inside OF the shaft
and visitors can pass between them and, adj
vancing up to the bronze railing, look out
upon the landscape. Sixteen feet below these
large openings each side has a group of five
narrow windows, and there are other win
dows still higher up. Near the base are
also two windows. On the west is a large
oak door with bronze grills and trimmings.
Over the door is large Intel, on which is
to be carved heads of Generals Stark, War
ner and Allen. The floor of the interior is
laid on the top of the foundation structure
and is made of North river tagging A
stairway is laid in successive flights up
three sides of the shaft, and then on the
fourth side is a platform, the same arrange
ment being repeated several times. The
several platforms are lighted by openings in
the wall on the south side. On the level OF
the larger columned opening there is the
main outlook. As TO the general effect the
artistic eve will note that the principal line
as it rises from the base has no break, for
the entabatures and the openings in the
walls do not interrupt it. There are no
balconies, no conspicuous outlooks; in fact
nothing of that character. 1t is to be a
memorial shaft, not an observatory. AS 1t
is necessary to protect the monument with
a lghtning-rod, crown of iron spikes is
designed to surmount the whole, rising five
feet from the apex of the stOne-work. The
architect is j. Philip Rim of Boston. The
cornerstone was laid by the Most Wor-
shipful Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons, of Vermont The Masonic gather
ing was the largest for years. The pro-
cession, civic and military, was imposing.
Music was furnished by double quartette
of Bennington vocalsts and the First Regi-
ment band. The Grafton was delivered by
Hon. John w. Stewart and the exercises
closed with the benediction by Rev. Isaac
Jennings Many prominent men OF the
state were present at the exercises.
The Vermont Soldiers Home was dedi-
Gated yesterday. The home was formally
presented by the president, General Will
lam Wells, to the state, and was received on
behalf of the state by Governor Ormsbee.